A Far Cry From Normal
by cause.A.scene
Summary: After a horrible case seemingly takes a turn for the worse, the team is led to believe they have lost one of their own. - This is a character study of our beloved team as they endure a certain situation. No ships, just friendship and general NCIS love.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's note: **Hello everyone. This is my first original (not a tag) fic for NCIS. I've been writing in other fandoms for a while but I'm very new here. It's definitely different than what I'm used to. Interesting enough, this is the first story I've ever completely finished before posting. Yes, I am thoroughly pleased with myself in that regard. I mostly did it because I don't expect many reviews which, as much as I hate to admit it, really serve as great motivation to post regularly which also means writing regularly. Now, all I have to do is post so I'll definitely finish this one.

**Basic info: **This is **not **a romance fic. There is the slightest hint of it in a later chapter but it's nothing that isn't cannon. And like I said, it's just a brief mention. Mostly this is a character piece with slight undertones of a case. So, be prepared for wordy insights into the characters. Also, this is **not **a death fic. I don't mind saying that ahead of time because the purpose of this story is to not leave you guessing whether or not someone lives or dies. It's simply an insight into our beloved characters if they were put in such a situation and I know I don't read death fics at all (at least not with major characters) so I would probably stop reading immediately after a death is insinuated. If you are like me, don't stop reading because of that.

Finally, it's not beta'd so all mistakes are my own. I definitely tried to reread and edit it but I usually only have the time to write late at night which certainly increases the possibility for errors. And this story will be in four parts and a total of 10,000 words.

**Disclaimer: **The characters aren't mine. If they were, things would be just a tiny bit different ;)

Without further gabbing, please enjoy...

**A Far Cry From Normal -**_Part I_

* * *

McGee was certain that his heart was going to burst from its confines at any moment. Not that he didn't love being beaten and handcuffed in the back seat of his own car, because that was always a gem, but knowing that his next decision could likely be his last just put the cherry on top.

But he didn't have a choice… he didn't. There was a terrified little girl out there and God only knew what this animal had planned for her if someone didn't stop him. And, regardless of his apparent concussion and his hands being bound, he was fairly certain he was the only person capable of helping her at the present moment.

Besides, Copeland was just going to kill him anyway, so he might as well go out doing something worth dying for.

McGee quietly squeezed his hands together and felt the sweat on them. He was scared, of course, but it had to happen. Still feigning unconsciousness, McGee peaked and saw Copeland's eyes were darting around nervously in the rearview mirror. But more importantly, he saw the best course of action to stop the car.

He quietly brought his legs up as close to his body as possible so that he could easily leap forward. He took one last deep breath and relished the beating of his heart, suddenly realizing how he had taken its steadiness and reliability for granted for so many years.

He figured his life should be flashing before his eyes or perhaps he should be on the verge of tears. But, in all honesty, all he could see was young Natalia's frightened face and it only served to make him more certain of his impending actions.

With one last surprisingly steady breath, McGee focused all of his energy on propelling himself forward, grabbing the steering wheel and yanking it as hard as he could.

Then all hell broke loose…

* * *

Agent Gibbs rounded the corner into the bullpen feeling just as annoyed as before. This case was proving to be exhausting in every way and they couldn't seem to get a lead. He had just returned from interviewing the former C.O. of their latest victim, Lieutenant Marilyn St. Pierre, which had simply been a waste of precious time.

Gibbs sighed as he glanced at the empty desks around him. They were all working double time and had very little sleep. Even with the local FBI office working closely with them on this case, the team was spread thin to say the least. Ziva was helping Abby sort through boxes of evidence, McGee, in a last ditch effort, had gone to interview St. Pierre's neighbors and Tony was accompanying the FBI as they went through the last known movements of the deceased Lieutenant.

Gibbs squeezed his eyes shut and took a deep breath. The intensity of this case was far more overwhelming than their normal case. It wasn't just a dead Marine this time… It was a dead Marine and her missing daughter. Seven-year-old Natalia St. Pierre was taken the same night her mother was shot and killed. They were unable to find any useful evidence from the house, St. Pierre was apparently loved by everyone and as a single mother, she did not exactly have an abundance of money. Her husband died overseas five years ago and she was killed with a 9 millimeter shot to the back of her head with no apparent signs of struggle. That's where the information basically stopped.

"Gibbs," Ziva sounded exasperatedly as she came into view, "We combed through every single piece of evidence and there is nothing. I am becoming more and more convinced that the Lieutenant was simply collateral damage and Natalia was the target all along."

Gibbs had to admit that he was beginning to feel the same way.

Cases that involved children were the worst kind. What that little girl had already gone through, what she may still be going through and, even if they managed to find her alive, her life would never be the same again. Gibbs felt the knot in his stomach tighten uncomfortably. He sighed deeply once more as he realized that his normally reliable 'gut' had been feeling off since this case began.

At that moment, the elevator rang and in walked DiNozzo looking just as disappointed as the rest of them. There was no joking for this case; there was no light-heartedness whatsoever.

Tony lightly threw his items on his desk and looked into Gibbs' eyes with a look that said everything: they _still _had nothing.

"I assume we are still as stagnant as ever?" Tony mumbled as he leaned on his desk. When neither Gibbs nor Ziva answered, Tony continued, "What about McGee? Anything with the neighbors?"

It was only then that Gibbs realized how long the young agent had been gone. Three hours… that didn't seem right.

"Get him on the phone," Gibbs said simply, knowing that it was odd for McGee to have been gone so long without checking in. Regardless, reprimanding McGee was not the first thing on his mind. All he cared about at this point was finding Natalia St. Pierre and her mother's murderer.

Gibbs noticed the puzzled glance between Tony and Ziva, both clearly surprised that their coworker hadn't checked it.

"Calling McGee, boss."

"That won't be necessary," came a new voice. Gibbs turned to see Director Vance standing in front of them with a look that had the knot in Gibbs' stomach pulling impossibly tight. Something was very wrong.

"My office," the Director said as he stared into Gibbs eyes.

"What's wrong with McGee?" Ziva questioned as she and Tony now approached them.

Director Vance continued to stare at Gibbs, his face somber but strong.

"Director…" Tony began.

Gibbs took in the director's expression and in that moment, he knew his agent was dead. He focused long enough to nod, indicating that Vance could tell them all.

Vance sighed, looking older and far more weary than Gibbs had ever seen him. He knew the director was particularly fond of McGee…

"I received a call from Washington Hospital," he began, his eyes moving between all of them. "Agent McGee was involved in a car accident."

Gibbs noticed the uncomfortable shifting from his agents and knew it was only going to get worse. But neither of them said a word.

"Agent McGee was apparently… killed on impact," he said softly, his eyes falling briefly to the floor before locking with Gibbs once more. "But his passenger was not and is out of surgery."

Gibbs felt the air catch in his lungs at the blatant comment on his newly deceased agent, but the question of who was with him when it happened couldn't be suppressed.

"Passenger?" Gibbs questioned quietly, suddenly sure that this was far more than an accident.

"The name is Andrew Copeland," Vance answered. "Does that mean anything to you?"

"Our victim's neighbor," Gibbs replied, his mind numb yet racing at the same time. So many questions were bombarding him, so many things they needed to do yet… Gibbs could hardly make himself breathe correctly. McGee… _Timothy_…

"If he was escorting him here…"

"Yeah," Gibbs interrupted Vance, knowing they needed to get started.

"Boss…." Tony mumbled quietly, somberly.

Gibbs didn't want to look at his two agents, didn't want to see the pain that they were undoubtedly feeling. But he was still their leader and even though McGee's death would perhaps be the worst they'd dealt with in a very long time, Gibbs still had to get them through this.

Gibbs turned to Tony and saw how lost the younger man looked while Ziva simply had a distant look on her face with tears clearly forming in her eyes.

"I know," Gibbs practically whispered.

"I'll contact the FBI and let them know they are taking point," Vance began but Gibbs stopped him.

"Copeland is ours," he interjected pointedly.

He'd be damned if McGee's final act was passed on to another group. He took a deep breath and made quick decisions using as much rationality as he could manage.

"Ziva, get Ducky and Abby. I want _our_ people handling the evidence and…," Gibbs ordered softly, not able to bring himself to say "body." He then watched as she nodded almost robotically and turned away. "Tony, call the hospital and have a guard posted at Copeland's door. We need him alive and awake."

"Boss," Tony said, his eyes wide and his breathing shallow. "His family… what do we tell his family?"

Gibbs placed his hand on Tony's shoulder, squeezing lightly. "Soon, Tony. Let's get him back here first."

Tony blinked back tears and then followed out his orders. Gibbs released the air from his lungs and closed his eyes. He needed to maintain control. There would be time to come to terms with this unforeseen incident. Time to grieve. Now was not that time, at least not for him.

However, for the few minutes it took to round everyone up, Gibbs found himself staring at his youngest agent's empty desk and fighting to maintain that composure he so desperately needed. After what seemed like hours, the elevator sounded and Gibbs knew it was time to lead for the sake of his people.

* * *

Special Agent Timothy McGee had always thought the process of waking up in the hospital was supposed to be slow and confusing. One sense returning at a time and eventually, if you were lucky, you would remember who you were shortly thereafter. That, however, was not the case for him.

It seemed like reality slapped him in the face, immediately pulling him from the darkness that had consumed him from some unknown amount of time. Within seconds, he knew he was in the hospital, knew he was sporting an oxygen mask, knew he had been in a pretty bad car accident and knew exactly what had led to that moment. Honestly, he wished all of that had eased its way back into his mind but, at the same time, the information he had was of the highest importance and he had no idea how much time had already passed.

He soon tried to open his eyes but after the pain and pressure stopped him, he realized they were swollen shut. He inwardly sighed and instead focused on trying to get someone's attention. Despite the full-body pain that was intensifying by the second, Tim forced his left hand to move. Once he realized it was uninjured, he mustered the energy to lift it in the air, only to have it yanked back down by something.

Then it hit him. The undeniable dread that came with the knowledge of what had transpired. He heard the heart monitor beside him start beeping at a much faster pace and knew he was fighting off a full-fledged panic attack.

He was handcuffed to the bed. And, if he was handcuffed, that meant…

"Mr. Copeland, you need to calm down," someone ordered, confirming McGee's fears. "You were in a car accident and…"

Tim tried to speak now, tried to tell her that he was most certainly _not _Andrew Copeland, but all that resulted from his attempts was a muffled grunt and pain.

"Don't try to speak, Mr. Copeland," the nurse instructed kindly, "We have a mask over your mouth and nose which is helping you breathe. Also, I imagine talking will be difficult for you due to swelling around your vocal cords. But it is temporary."

Tim tried to get his breathing under control and tried to tune out the rapid beeping from his monitor. He had to tell her what he knew, had to make her understand that they had it all wrong. But he couldn't see, he couldn't move his hands and he couldn't speak. He had never felt so trapped in his own body.

Panic now rising through him like bile, he began thrashing his arm around, listening to the loud clanking of his metal cuffs on the metal railing.

"Watch it, kid," a new, tougher male voice ordered. Tim immediately let his hand fall to the bed and realized that the new voice most likely belonged to his guard.

"Officer, please," the nurse chided. "We do not know for a fact whether he's a criminal or not."

"With all due respect, ma'am," the officer sneered, "We found this clown handcuffed in the back seat of a dead NCIS agent's government issued car. I'd say it's pretty damn certain he's a criminal."

At this, McGee began patting the bed frantically and trying to speak again, despite the immense pain that the actions caused. He knew it probably wouldn't help but he was desperate. The fact that they didn't know his real identity wasn't even the worst part; a little girl's life actually depended on the knowledge he had.

"Mr. Copeland…"

"Yeah, you better squirm," the officer scoffed, "That agent's team is on their way and I imagine they won't be too happy you got him killed."

Tim's heart dropped. His team, maybe even his family, thought he was dead. This day was going from bad to horrific. He heard his monitor increase once again and tried to think of any other way he could get them to hear him. To know the truth. But the pain was becoming too much…

"I'm going to sedate him…"

He heard the woman move beside him but then heard the officer swiftly come towards them.

"Sorry, but I can't let you do that," the officer said. "There's a missing girl out there and this guy might know something about it."

For the first time since waking up, McGee actually agreed with the officer. The last thing he needed was to be knocked out. He didn't care how much pain he was in, he _had _to tell Gibbs and the others about the little girl from their case. He knew where she was, or at least had a pretty good idea, but no one was listening.

"His vitals are elevated, he's in extreme pain…"

"We've been ordered to keep him alive and nothing else until NCIS gets here, which should be any minute," the officer responded forcefully. "Until then he will just have to suffer through it."

The nurse huffed and placed her hand gently on McGee's head. He found the motion comforting and was amazed that this woman could be so nurturing to a man who may have kidnapped a child. Maybe she really did believe that people were innocent until proven guilty. That greatly contrasted the officer's attitude, although McGee didn't really blame him; he knew how things appeared and knew they had reason to believe he was not only Andrew Copeland but that he was also a criminal.

Still, as soon as Gibbs and the others arrived, they would straighten everything out. They would realize that McGee wasn't dead, they would find a way to communicate with him and, if all went well, young Natalia St. Pierre would be found safe. He just had to stay awake and remain Andrew Copeland for a little while longer…

**_End Part I/IV_**

* * *

**End Note: **There you are! Like I said, this story is already completely written so I will post the next part in a timely fashion. If you read it all and enjoyed it, thank you very much! If you have the time/energy and feel compelled to, please review and give me your thoughts. Constructive criticism is definitely accepted and even appreciated. Otherwise, thanks for reading and I hope you come by for more! To the US of A readers, I wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving. To everyone else, I wish you a happy rest of your week! - L


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: **Thank you to everyone who read and an extra thank you to the reviewers.

Anyway, I just want to say ahead of time that while I certainly tried to think everything out, don't be surprised if I didn't consider something. If I did, hopefully it won't take away from the story too much. Otherwise, that's about it for this chapter so I hope you all enjoy!

**A Far Cry From Normal - Part II/IV**

* * *

The car ride had been torturous and silent but it was nothing compared to the moment when they actually walked into the hospital. It was becoming more and more real and Tony wasn't entirely sure he could handle it. He kept thinking back to when they lost Kate and how awful it had been. Still, this time it was different. He didn't know how or why, but Tim… it was different.

Tony lowered his head while Gibbs addressed the receptionist. Tony glanced at Ziva who stared blankly ahead, her eyes watery but she was clearly still fighting the tears. Abby, on the other hand had tears flowing freely. Tony briefly questioned Gibbs' choice of telling her but then again, he knew not telling her would have been worse.

Before he could think about it further, he realized Gibbs was talking to them.

"Ducky, go get Tim," he said quietly, to which Tony lowered his head once again and Abby started crying harder. "Abby, can you do this?"

Abby took a shuddering breath and nodded. "Y-yes. I… I will get the evidence."

Gibbs took her under his arm and said, "Just come with us and get Copeland's belongings. Ducky can get Tim's."

Abby nodded and sobbed even more. Yeah, Tony was quite certain that she probably should have stayed behind. Regardless, the four of them made their way up to wherever Copeland was. Tony tried his hardest to pretend like this was just another case but he knew it wasn't. It didn't feel like any other case; It wasn't any other case. Tim… _their _Timothy McGee was taken out by what, a car accident?

Tony felt anger boil inside of him like acid. He suddenly hated this case even more, hated Andrew Copeland and hated that he wasn't there for Tim in the end. It didn't matter how quickly they said he went, he was still dead. Gone forever.

Tony closed his eyes and fought the pain that was engulfing him. It was almost a physical force threatening to suffocate him. He just didn't get it. He had just talked to McGee that morning and now he was gone. Just like that.

"Abby, wait outside," Gibbs ordered once they came to floor that housed Copeland. Tony looked up and saw the officer standing outside the door and briefly wondered what the hell had happened. What had Tim been doing with this guy and especially having not checked in with Gibbs? None of it made sense.

"Are you NCIS?" the officer asked as they approached him.

Gibbs nodded and pulled out his badge to which the officer replied, "I'm sorry for your loss."

Tony looked away, not ready for the world to be acknowledging McGee's death when we wasn't even ready to.

"Is Copeland awake?" Gibbs asked, his tone quiet, yet almost dangerous.

"Last I checked, he was," the officer answered. "He's pretty messed up, though. He's been thrashing around and causing a scene. He stopped a little while ago but… the guy seems crazy to me."

Tony felt his muscles contract, despising Copeland more and more by the second, even if he didn't know the full story. He wanted to see him now. He wanted to question the man and find out how this happened. He glanced at Ziva and saw the same hint of anger that was boiling up inside him.

But then Gibbs nodded and walked into the room while Tony and Ziva followed suit. Tony's eyes first noticed the multitudes of machines that were buzzing and beeping, all connected to the damaged man in the bed. Had it not been for the heart monitor beeping away, Tony would've even guessed that the man was dead.

As they walked further into the room, Tony found himself frowning. There was something familiar about this man but he couldn't quite figure it out. It didn't help that the oxygen mask was covering up the majority of his face and even the visible parts were badly swollen and bruised. A blanket covered up most of the man's body and his right arm was covered in a cast while the left was handcuffed to the bed.

But, as Tony looked at the others, he realized they were just as puzzled. Even though they had just walked into the small room, they all realized something was very off about it.

"Is that….?" Ziva began quietly but never finished. She didn't have to, though, because Tony knew exactly what she was going to say.

No sooner had the words left her mouth did the man on the bed raise his shaky hand as if he were reaching out to them.

"Oh my God…," Tony whispered.

Suddenly several things started happening at once, mirroring the sudden change within Tony from feeling miserable to being overwhelmed with emotion. The man before them was beaten, bloody and bruised but he was, without a doubt, Timothy McGee.

Within seconds, Ziva grabbed McGee's hand and began whispering something to herself, most likely a prayer. Tony joined her beside his Probie and patted the younger man's head, given that it was the only other place that seemed uninjured.

"Get these cuffs off," Gibbs ordered, to which the officer frowned in confusion.

"Sir…?"

"Now!"

The officer nodded and quickly made his way to McGee's side. After the handcuffs were off, Tony watched as McGee slowly moved his hand around and Tony couldn't help but feel anger at the dark red line it left on his unsettlingly white skin.

"This is _my_ agent," Gibbs told the officer, apparently trying to keep his voice quiet for Tim's sake. "Why was I told that my agent was dead?"

The officer looked thoroughly confused and perhaps even worried as he glanced from Gibbs to McGee.

"Speak," Gibbs demanded.

"I-I'm sorry," the officer stammered, his eyes still on McGee. "We… he was found handcuffed in the back seat of the car. His… his belongings… his ID… it all said Andrew Copeland. The other guy was driving a government issued vehicle and had a gun, a badge and an NCIS jacket. And… I mean their pictures matched closely enough, especially given the damage to both of their faces. There was no reason to question it…"

Tony felt the air in his lungs get caught as he realized what must have happened. Copeland had kidnapped McGee, somehow forced him to exchange clothes and possessions and then had presumably gotten in an accident.

"Tim," Ziva spoke quietly, "Can you hear me?"

Slowly, McGee nodded which signaled that despite his closed eyes and current physical state, he was definitely coherent.

"Did Andrew Copeland force you to exchange clothing and ID's?"

He nodded again and then slowly brought his hand to the mask on his face and removed it. Almost immediately, one of the machines made a new sound and Tony felt his concern increase.

"Grl," Tim mumbled, though it was barely even a whispered and his face instantly stiffened in pain.

"What is going on here?" a woman's voice interrupted, which seemingly belonged to Tim's nurse. She pushed through everyone, replaced the mask to its original position and turned back to Gibbs. "You cannot treat a patient this way and…"

"Nurse, this man is _not_ Andrew Copeland," Gibbs informed her, raising his hand to stop her. "This is Special Agent Timothy McGee with NCIS. He was forced to change identities with Copeland and was abducted."

The nurse's mouth dropped and her eyes widened, "Oh my…"

"He wants to tell us something, Gibbs," Ziva interrupted quickly, her eyes glued to McGee. Tony then noticed that McGee's hand was moving very strangely. He watched for a moment until it hit him.

"Charades!" Tony exclaimed, forcing everyone to send him questioning looks. Everyone except McGee, who was nodding once again. Tony immediately pulled out a pad of paper and a pen and gently positioned them for McGee. Secretly thanking God that McGee was a lefty, they all watched as he slowly began to write something with a trembling hand.

"Girl," Ziva read aloud.

"Tim, you know where Natalia is?" Gibbs questioned as he now stood where Tony had been moments before, his hand gently resting on the younger man's head. When McGee nodded, Gibbs immediately turned to Tony and Ziva.

"Get the FBI on the phone," he ordered, "Tell them we are about to send them information on Natalia."

Tony nodded and, with a smile he couldn't quite suppress, dialed his phone and watched his Probie with great pride. Not only was he alive, he was breaking the case and, fingers crossed, the young girl would be found alive.

* * *

If it was possible for a body to explode due to pain, Tim was almost certain he was destined for such a fate. He honestly didn't remember the actual crash or the rescue, he just knew that his body was pretty messed up. And, given that he was on minimal painkillers, he felt like everything, even down to his damaged lungs.

In fact, he was certain adrenaline was the only thing keeping him going. He had dozed off a few times after initially waking up only to be jolted awake again; he had to stay awake until he could tell someone where Natalia was.

He could still see her terrified little face in his mind and he remembered trying to think of any way he could save her.

From there, it seemed like hours in that bed, trapped by pain, injuries and handcuffs. Besides, McGee never really appreciated the value of his own identity until it was taken away. He could tell the officer thought very little of him and he knew he was being treated differently than he would if they had known who he really was.

Then everything had changed when he heard Ziva's voice. It was almost as though a physical weight was lifted as he knew it wouldn't be long until they found Natalia and brought her back to her remaining family where she belonged.

"Agents, you better make this quick," said a voice McGee didn't recognize but assumed belonged to his doctor. "He needs rest and medicine."

"We'll make it as fast as possible," Gibbs replied, and McGee could sense that his words were sincere. "McGee, are you ready?"

"Okay, I'm going to ask you questions," Gibbs continued after Tim nodded. "Is Natalia alive?"

McGee nodded yes, deciding that he would save his energy and only use the pen when absolutely necessary.

"Good. Is she in a house?" Gibbs asked, and after Tim nodded again, continued with, "Copeland's house?"

Tim took in as deep a breath as he could manage and shook his head _'no'._

"Is the house within twenty miles of Copeland's house?"

'_Yes'_

"Ten miles?"

_'Yes'_

"Five miles?"

McGee paused for a moment and tried to think which was becoming more and more difficult. But, he soon shook his head to say _'no'_.

"Tell them to look in a ten to fifteen mile radius of Copeland's house," Gibbs instructed to someone, presumably Tony who was on the phone with the FBI.

"Do you remember the name of the street," Gibbs continued softly.

Tim briefly saw a picture flash in his mind of the street sign. It was blurry, which was expected given that he had been suffering from a head wound at the time, but it was there.

Slowly, he picked up the pen and began to write _'S-t-o-n-e-m-i-l-l ?'. _He couldn't seem to remember if there was more to that name or whether it was a lane or street... Either way, he heard Tony passing the information along to the FBI.

At this point, Tim knew he had to provide them with the most important information. He mustered the remaining energy he had to force his now fiercely trembling hand to write _'4 sale.'_

"Tony, he was a real estate agent," Gibbs reported quickly in a bit of an ah-ha moment. "She's in one of his houses."

Tony nodded and passed the information along. After a moment or two, he happily reported, "They've pinpointed one possible house, boss. They are two minutes out."

Tim felt his body relax more than ever and heard the pen fall to the ground. At that moment, he felt hands on him lightly and was thankful for the warmth. Strangely, he seemed to be more numb than anything.

"I'm proud of you, Tim," he heard Gibbs say softly into his ear. Tim couldn't suppress a smile, not that anyone could see it under the oxygen mask.

"They got her, boss," Tony reported from somewhere in the distance. "She's okay."

Tim knew his tattered body was relaxing upon hearing this news, knew the adrenaline was all but gone and he welcomed the peace that was now flooding his very existence. He could hear people talking but before he really got a chance to find out who they were and what they were saying, he was out.

* * *

**End note: **This is the shortest of the four chapters but hopefully it was pretty satisfying. Everyone knows Tim's alive so yaaay! The final two chapters will be more of that character exploration I mentioned. As you can see, I like to jump around between points of view, although I don't think everyone is included... Hmmm not cool. Anyway, thanks for reading!


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: **Hello :) I want to start by thanking you all for reviewing. I tried to reply to all of you (obviously not the guests but I nonetheless appreciate your kind words) but if I somehow missed your review, I am quite sorry! Either way, I am very pleased to see so many people are enjoying my little story and I hope that continues to be the case.

Otherwise... I believe that's all I need to say. There are very slight mentions of McGee's family which came from season 9 so if you haven't seen that, it may be a tiny spoiler but I honestly don't think it's a problem.

**A Far Cry From Normal - Part III/IV**

* * *

Gibbs sat in the uncomfortable plastic chair beside his youngest agent's hospital bed. It was never a situation he wanted to be in because he had come to see them all as his children. Nothing could ever fill that void left by his wife and daughter but his team came the closest. He hated seeing them in any sort of pain and, looking at McGee, it was evident that the young man's body was ravaged to say the least. He was sleeping now, thankfully, but soon that would end and the pain would become a normal part of his life for the foreseeable future.

Gibbs glanced over to Abby who sat beside him, completely still with concern clearly visible in her red eyes. Immediately after finding out McGee was alive, Ziva had gone out to tell Abby but they had kept her out until Tim was able to give them the girl's location. Gibbs knew she probably hadn't been happy about that but Tim was barely holding onto consciousness at the time so the last thing they need was a hysteric Abby. But when she was finally allowed into the room, she had cried even more, held his hand and then pulled up a chair with no intention to leave. Gibbs, on the other hand, was waiting for Vance to arrive. Even though the Director was contacted immediately after the FBI, Vance apparently also wanted to see McGee with his own eyes. Gibbs understood the necessity; they had all been told their agent was dead, only to find him alive and being treated as a criminal, no less. It wasn't exactly the easiest thing to get over.

"Ah, Jethro and Abigail," Ducky greeted somewhat cheerfully as he entered the room. Gibbs turned around to see the medical examiner looking slightly haggard, but overall relieved. Given that Ducky had first gone to retrieve what was thought to be McGee's body, he had realized the identities had been mistaken about the same time the rest of them did.

"What did you find out?" Abby questioned immediately and stood up but did not leave Tim's side. "Is he okay? I mean, will he be okay because he's clearly not okay right now and…"

"Abby…" Gibbs stated softly, effectively derailing her nervous rambling.

"To answer your question, Abigail, young Timothy has a long road ahead but, should he follow all of the necessary steps, a full recovery can be expected," Ducky stated simply as his eyes wandered to the unconscious man on the bed.

"My, my," he breathed as he began examining McGee. Gibbs knew this was the medical examiner's first real opportunity to fully look Tim over so he completely understood the response. Gibbs imagined that hearing about the injuries were far different than actually seeing them on someone you care about. "What have you done to yourself, Timothy?"

"We believe he wrecked it on purpose," Gibbs answered, unable to contain that scenario that had been playing in his mind ever since he had spoken with the FBI. "It was an empty road, no signs of the vehicle malfunctioning…"

At this point, Abby gasped and exclaimed, "He wrecked it on purpose?! He could have been killed!"

"It' just a theory, Abs," Gibbs replied calmly, motioning for her to sit back down before turning back to Ducky. "Now what exactly did his doctor say is wrong?"

Ducky took a deep breath but before he could get started, Vance entered the room.

"A very good question," he stated simply as he walked in and looked McGee over.

"Damn," Vance breathed. "What exactly happened, Gibbs?"

Gibbs sighed. "All we have are theories right now. The doctor knocked him out after Natalia was found."

"Not that he would have been able to provide you with much information, anyway," Ducky chimed in. When everyone looked at him, he took a deep breath and began speaking slowly.

"Although a full recovery is certainly on the table, Timothy was badly injured in the crash," Ducky stated grimly, his eyes moving between them all. "His injuries indicate that he was not buckled at the time of the incident but was thankfully able to remain in the vehicle. He suffered a concussion, three broken ribs, shattered his collarbone, his arm is broken in two places and swelling around his vocal cords indicated fairly severe whiplash."

Gibbs felt his stomach clench as the list went on and on. He didn't want Tim to have to endure all of the pain that would accompany these injuries for months and maybe even years to come. Especially since McGee had never, to his knowledge, been seriously injured. Gibbs sighed and looked at Abby who seemed to be on the verge of tears once more. Tim was physically broken. They all knew that but hearing it confirmed was not easy.

"They also found some fluid in his abdomen which led to exploratory surgery," Ducky continued after a moment. "They believe everything is patched up and alright down there but their biggest concern is the lung. One of his ribs dislodged enough to collapse is right lung. They have inflated it and are draining the excess fluids, but watching his oxygen levels and ensuring that his lung is healing properly are key to his recovery."

"Oh, Timmy," Abby wailed as she sat back down and grabbed McGee's limp hand. "This isn't right. Not Tim…"

"It's better than the alternative, don't you think Abby?" Ziva asked as she and Tony entered the room.

Tony walked over to McGee and visibly winced. "Ouch," he said quickly as he stared at the younger man's bruised face, "He looks worse."

"Just the bruising running its course, Anthony," Ducky clarified, also easing Gibbs' concerns. He knew McGee was going to be okay, but it didn't hurt hearing it out loud, especially from Ducky. "I assure you – _all _of you - young Timothy will be just fine with time and care."

"How could this happen, Ducky?" Ziva asked, her eyes still scanning over McGee's body. "How could they truly believe that he was Copeland? Aren't there ways to prevent such mix-ups?"

Everyone watched Ducky now as it was probably something they were all curious about. Gibbs had wanted to hunt down the highest person at this hospital and demand to know how they had made such a mistake.

"The stars aligned," Ducky answered with a small shrug. "It's customary for hospitals to track down a patient's identity when one is not provide or is unclear, but in this case, both men arrived with complete identities and had similar body types. Also, I assume they used O-negative blood during surgery. Had they tried to use type specific, they may have encountered complications if Timothy's blood type is not the same as Copeland's but clearly that didn't happen."

Ducky sighed and place his hands in his pockets. "Add the investigation of a missing child and you have hospital staff more focused on that than double-checking identities. Of course, they would have discovered it eventually but luckily we found out first. I hate to imagine how awful it was for young Timothy to be mistaken for a criminal and unable to physically refute the assumption," he shook his head then and Gibbs found himself thinking the same thing. Tim was far from a criminal and the mere fact that he had gone even five minutes with people thinking otherwise made his blood boil.

"Now, I must be getting back to autopsy to check Mr. Palmer's work so we can close this case and leave it in our past where it belongs. Call if anything changes, Jethro, though I do not imagine it will."

He grabbed his coat and hat before walking over to McGee's bed. "And you rest up, lad. You have done a marvelous job."

Gibbs smiled as the doctor exited the room, knowing that Ducky was one of the only doctors he truly trusted. If he said McGee would be fine, then it was true.

"What did you find?" Gibbs asked his two conscious agents, which made Vance perk up as well.

"A car that looked like it was stuffed in a sardine can," Tony answered grimly, to which Ziva shot him a look.

"It is being towed to the lab," Ziva continued, her eyes glancing over to McGee and Abby a few times. "It was badly damaged but it was as the highway patrol said: no other vehicles were involved and there were no obvious signs of tampering."

"Is it possible that Copeland lost control?" Abby asked, her posture now oddly stiff. She was no longer holding Tim's hand and when she looked at him, she almost seemed scared of him. Gibbs found her sudden change in body language to be odd but he decided to let it go for now.

Tony shook his head and answered, "They don't think so. A crash like that…"

"So one of them forced the accident," Vance stated, his eyes on Gibbs. Gibbs nodded, knowing that they were both thinking the same thing.

"You think McGee did this?" Ziva asked, her eyes on Gibbs and the Director.

"Makes sense," Gibbs replied.

"How does _this _make sense?" Abby asked as she stood up and gestured to McGee.

"If he did it, he did so to save the girl," Ziva answered softly, trying to calm Abby down.

"He must have known Copeland was just going to kill him and then go back for Natalia," Tony continued.

"And, the accident didn't occur until they got on the empty roadway," Ziva added, filling in details to what was becoming the most likely story. "If McGee wrecked it on purpose, he would have tried to minimalize casualties."

"So Tim wrecked the car to save the girl?" Abby said quietly as she sat back down, her eyes scanning McGee.

"It's a theory," Vance answered, his eyes sharp on each of them. "But, until he wakes up, it is a likely one. Your team has the rest of the week off, unless otherwise needed. Keep me updated," he finished as he left the room.

Gibbs took a deep breath and smiled as he looked around. His team was alive. Worse for wear, but alive nonetheless. Tony was seemingly pretending to be occupied with his phone but glanced at McGee every now and then. Abby remained in her state of vigilance at Tim's bedside while Ziva stood on the other side of the bed, her hand carefully flattening McGee's unnaturally messy hair.

"There," she said happily as she looked at him, "he looks almost normal."

"Throw some headphones on him and put a controller in his hands and _then _he'll look right at home," Tony laughed from his corner.

"Yeah, minus the huge mask on his face and all of the swelling, bruises and cuts…" Abby mumbled.

The room quieted and the mood fell once again. Gibbs sighed. He knew that Abby had a big heart and simply didn't do well in situations like this. Truth be told, it was oddly difficult for him to see his youngest agent look so fragile and broken. He would never say it out loud but he knew he often kept Tim in the office and not only because he was gifted with computers. Also, McGee had turned out to be one of the best shots Gibbs had seen in a while so it certainly wasn't because he didn't trust Tim in the field. It was simply because Tim was the youngest and, much like Abby, Gibbs had the strong need to be a little more protective over the young man. But now, to think he had sent the agent right into the hands of a killer with no backup was unsettling to say the least.

He knew no one would blame him, least of all McGee, but it didn't change anything.

Still, he had to focus on the fact that they were all alive, including an innocent little girl, and that's what mattered.

* * *

"Rise and shine, McSleepyhead," Tony cooed playfully from the bedside chair. He stared down at McGee and frowned. Most of the swelling had gone down which certainly helped his overall appearance even though the bruising was still very visible. Also, the oxygen mask that had basically eaten the kid's face had been replaced with a simple nasal cannula.

Tony turned his head to the side, as though watching McGee from a different angle would somehow change something. The truth was, no matter how many times Ducky and the rest of the medical personnel reminded him that McGee would be okay, Tony couldn't quite ease the concern he felt as each day passed without Tim waking up.

True, it had only been two days since McGee had told them where to find Natalia but it didn't seem right for him to be so alert immediately after the accident and then sleep for days afterwards. He hadn't even woken up when they transferred him to Bethesda.

"Seriously Probie, you're being a little dramatic now," Tony stated as he stood up and began examining the cards and stuffed animals that were placed around the room. He knew the majority of them were from Abby, even the Justin Beiber balloon (which was clearly due to limited choices in the gift shop), but there was an elaborate floral display sent from Tim's grandmother who was currently stuck in some other country due to a snow storm. Otherwise, they had not been able to get a hold of Sarah and, as far as he knew, no one had even tried to reach Admiral McGee.

Tony sighed as he realized Tim really didn't have a strong family but, then again, none of them seemed to. Perhaps that's why they were all so close.

He slowly made his way to the oversized balloon and frowned. He didn't stay up with a lot of the current pop culture but he didn't see what the obsession with Justin Beiber was. And for some reason that completely escaped Tony, he decided to punch the balloon. However, he immediately regretted that decision when the run was suddenly filled with a loud musical outburst.

"_Baby, baby, baby, oh…_"

"What the?!" Tony said as he grabbed the balloon and squeezed and hit it again, but nothing seemed to quiet it. Finally, after the chorus of the so-called song had run its course, Tony released the balloon carefully. Once he was convinced it was done making noise, he turned around again and stopped dead in his tracks.

Staring back through slightly swollen, but very much open, eyes was Timothy McGee. More importantly, he was doing that thing he did with his eyebrows when he was judging Tony… and that made Tony feel better than he had all day.

"DiNozzo," Gibbs said as he entered the room with a cup of coffee in his hands, "How is he?"

"Awake," Tony replied just as McGee tried to say "Fine," though it really only came out as a croak, followed by a coughing fit.

Tony just stared, suddenly frozen as Tim coughed and his face scrunched up in pain. He was suddenly wishing the younger agent was still asleep. Luckily, Gibbs was not as stationary. Immediately, Gibbs was at McGee's side with ice chips in hand. Moments later, a nurse entered the room and, after doing a quick check and forcing McGee to wear the oxygen mask for another ten minutes, left once again.

Gibbs returned to McGee's side and stared down at him, watching him carefully as the wounded agent slowly moved his hand up to his face.

"Girl?" Tim whispered after pulling the mask.

Gibbs silently replaced the mask and answered, "She's safe."

Tony could see the relief in Tim's eyes and found himself wondering how much McGee actually remembered about the past couple of days.

"I'm assuming she has you to thank for that?" Gibbs asked softly.

Tony watched as McGee opened his eyes again and wearily shrugged with one shoulder.

"Did you wreck your own car? Because if so, I'm going to assume you've been taking driving lessons with Ziva," Tony asked, trying to insert some humor but the reality of the situation kind of ruined the effort. But, slowly, McGee nodded. He then moved the mask again and began talking.

"No choice," he whispered. "Sorry…"

"Don't apologize. There's nothing to be sorry for," Gibbs replied, his hand now lying on top of McGee's head in one Gibbs' rare displays of sentiment. "They have already found two bodies in Copeland's back yard. Both young girls. You saved her."

Tony watched as McGee frowned, clearly upset by the idea of idea of what could have happened. But soon, the muscles in his face loosened and his eyelids began to droop.

"Go to sleep, Tim," Gibbs continued as he stepped away from the exhausted agent.

"Yeah, McSandman," Tony added playfully, "Get even _more _rest."

Gibbs shot him a look to which Tony smiled in response. He knew McGee could use the sleep but it was still unsettling to see him unconscious so much while looking as bad as he did. It didn't matter, though, because the man in question was already asleep once again.

"So I guess we were right?" Tony asked grimly. "He wrecked it himself."

Gibbs shrugged. "If it _was_ his only choice, then it was a good one. Even if he died, we would have noticed the accident and realized Copeland was connected to the kidnapping."

Tony sighed and glanced at his unconscious partner.

"Yeah, but I don't like the what if's," Tony replied as they stepped outside the room. "I mean… I thought he was…"

"Yeah, I know," Gibbs interrupted, though Tony wasn't sure he would have finished the sentence anyway. It had been hard enough spending that hour or two thinking he had lost his best friend so the last thing he wanted to do was relive it in any way.

But then Tony noticed something that he hadn't seen before… guilt. Gibbs was certainly not the easiest man to read but there were definite signs of guilt and even though Tony knew it was not warranted, he also understood why Gibbs was feeling that way.

"You okay, Boss?"

Gibbs frowned and stared for a moment before replying, "Yeah, DiNozzo."

Tony considered pressing the matter further but ultimately decided against it. Instead, Gibbs turned and walked back into McGee's room with Tony on his heels.

* * *

**EN: **Only one more to go! As always, I hope you liked it and would love to hear from you if you have any comments on the chapter/overall story. Again, thank you for reading and hope you come back for the final piece!


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note: **Hello, hello! As always, thank you to the readers and reviewers. You guys make it all worth it! I'm glad to see so many have enjoyed the story and I hope the final (? - see end note) installment is also satisfying.

**Disclaimer:** Check the end note :)

**A Far Cry From Normal - Part IV/IV**

* * *

McGee closed his eyes and tried to take a deep breath, though that was still a tricky task. He had to breathe slowly, gaging how far he could push it. He never really appreciated a good deep breath so much in his life. Still, it was far better than the alternative.

McGee smiled politely at the nurse who was currently changing his various dressings. It was almost humorous how disgusted his own oozing wounds made him given how many dead bodies he had seen in his career. Luckily visiting hours hadn't quite started yet so he didn't have to worry about anyone else seeing this.

He had been awake and coherent for about a day now and in that time, he had been visited by almost everyone from NCIS (strangely, Abby had not been by as much as he had expected she would) and even Sarah, although he had sent her back to school to prepare for her numerous final exams. The prospect of his dad visiting was comical and his mom… well, the idea of her visiting was literally impossible.

As much as he appreciated their company, he had to admit it was kind of awkward at times. He knew it was mutual, though. The truth was, Tim had never really been seriously injured before and… it changed things. He remembered when Gibbs had been injured for the first time and how awful it was to see their fearless leader so broken. Or, perhaps when Tony was hit with the plague… Tony was supposed to be the one always laughing and making light of any given situation. Instead, it was like that continuously shining light had been temporarily distinguished.

Tim suddenly found himself wondering how the others would see his situation. He was the nerd of the group and probably still seen as more of a Probie than Ziva. He was definitely the greenest, in all fairness, even with his years of NCIS service. He figured they would probably all be wondering how it had taken so long for him to fall victim.

Then there was the other little detail: they had thought he was dead. He vaguely remembered the looks on his team's face when they realized the hospital had fallen for Copeland's identity switch. At the time, he had been more focused on staying awake to tell them the information on Natalia but now that he looked back on it, he remembered how relieved they had seemed. How happy.

"There you are, Agent McGee," the nurse stated kindly as she pulled the blanket back up to his waist. "You're all set."

"Thank you," he replied, still surprised at how weak his voice was and how much it hurt to talk.

"Don't mention it," she replied with a grin. "Really. You shouldn't be talking."

He shrugged with his good shoulder, accepting the pain as just a part of life for the time being. Sadly, he knew what he was feeling was only a portion of what he would be without the pain meds. Even then, he found it didn't bother him much. Despite what others may assume, Tim considered his tolerance for pain to be quite high.

"But," she continued while looking at his chart, "You will be happy to know that Dr. Cranston plans on taking out your chest tube later today. Seems as though he's confident your lung can manage on its own now."

Tim smiled in response and nodded. He had pretty much learned to ignore the tube that was continuously sucking out nauseating liquids but was thoroughly pleased to learn that he wouldn't have to do that any longer. Not to mention it wasn't the most comfortable of contraptions.

The nurse smiled back and returned the chart to its holder at the end of his bed.

"I imagine you'll be up and moving around by tomorrow, so keep that in mind. Otherwise, are you ready for visitors?"

McGee raised his eyebrows and whispered, "They're here already?"

The nurse smiled and replied, "I believe so, yes."

"Sure," he replied, "They can come in."

Moments later, the nurse was gone and in walked Abby looked relatively… sheepish. Still, seeing her there made him grin. The truth was, he really only remembered her stopping by briefly and that was shortly after he woke up so his memory was shotty at best. He figured she was either busy or… dealing with some things. She was sometimes hard to read but her avoiding him didn't surprise him that much.

"Hey, Tim," she said quietly as she took a few steps towards him. "It's good to see you awake."

"How… are you?" he asked, still grinning.

"Me?" she questioned now, her eyes wide. "I'm fine, Tim. It's you who's… all… Anyway, the others are coming. I think they want to know what happened with you and that guy but they stopped for breakfast. They didn't want you to know that because all you've had is mushy hospital food but I figured you would understand. Besides…"

"Abby," he interrupted, knowing that she would continue her nervous rambling if he let her. He held out his hand toward her and she glanced at it as though she were afraid to come nearer. "I'm okay. Everything… is _okay_."

She stood there for another moment; her lip trembling and McGee knew her well enough to know what was coming next. As suspected, she burst into tears and ran over towards him. Of course, she stopped short of jumping on the bed and instead settled for grabbing his hand.

"I-I was so worried," she said between sobs. "Th-they told me you were dead, Tim. _Dead. _I couldn't… I couldn't even… Then you weren't dead but you look _awful._"

Tim tried to stop her a few times but it didn't seem to work. Instead he tried to keep up with her watery ramblings. He wanted so badly to help her through this but he didn't know how.

"And I was here, Tim," she continued, now lightly shaking his hand, "I promise I was here. I just couldn't…"

She stood up then and walked away. They stayed this way for a moment until she finally said, albeit quietly, "I've been having nightmares every night since… it happened. You're dead every time and… I thought staying away until… until you were better would be easier… but, it didn't help."

McGee stared at her, frowning and at a loss. It was such an uncomfortable situation but it was one he had been experiencing with everyone, even if to a smaller degree. There was this huge elephant that no one seemed to know how to address. He didn't entirely understand it, but everyone seemed so awkward around him. Like they were walking on eggshells and wanted to saying something, but couldn't. But that's what he loved about Abby. She would always speak her mind, no matter how uncomfortable it may be. More importantly, Tim knew Abby well. He knew how she was and how he could get through to her.

"Abby," he said quietly then waited until she turned around. He motioned for her to come closer and eventually she did. When she was within an arm's length, he reached out and took her hand.

"I know you were here," he continued calmly, looking into her red eyes. "I know… it was hard for you. And I'm sorry."

"But look," he said as he gestured to his heart monitor which held a steady rhythm. "See? It's going strong. And if that's not enough for you," he continued as he grabbed her hand and laid it over his heart. He watched as her eyes wandered from his chest to his eyes and then she smiled.

"You're perfect," she stated before leaning down a gently kissing him on the forehead.

Tim smiled back and welcomed the first hint of normality he'd felt since waking up. He never really knew where he and Abby stood romantically but he could always count her to… _be Abby. _Bubbly, positive Abby.

"Aaaand…," she continued as she reached down and grabbed her bag. A moment later, she pulled out a laptop. "I figured this might make your temporary home more… home-like," she finished with a proud grin.

He stared at the laptop and even though he was currently too exhausted to enjoy it, the fact that she had thought to bring it was… It was _Abby._

He grabbed her hand again and squeezed it lightly. "_You _are perfect."

She grinned and shrugged, "I know."

* * *

"You ready, McGee?" Gibbs questioned as he leaned against the bedside table.

His agent nodded slowly and gave a thumbs up with his good hand. Gibbs noticed the tired and pained look that had seemingly taken residence in the young agent's face but didn't blame him. He still looked like he'd been dragged through hell with his bruised features, broken bones and multitudes of machines connected to him. Still, he had kept a positive attitude and had even tried to keep up with Tony's light-hearted bantering. More importantly, he had agreed to give his official statement on what had actually happened. Gibbs had hoped they could get that part over with earlier but they had prolonged it in order for McGee's chest tube to be removed.

As positive as that had been, it was evidently causing Tim more pain than before.

"Ready, Boss."

Gibbs glanced around the room at Tony, Ziva and Abby and briefly wondered if McGee would be more confortable without them there. But, as he looked at them all, he figured that wouldn't be the case. Besides, it would probably be easier for him to tell it just once.

"Whenever you're ready."

Tim took an unsteady but relatively deep breath and began speaking in a weak, though surprisingly steady voice.

"It really isn't that exciting," he began, his eyelids drooping slightly. "I went to Copeland's house first and asked him basic questions: Any strange cars or noises…? He said no but… something seemed off. He was jumpy and nervous. So, I asked to go to the bathroom so I could text one of you and think of a reason to stay. Bu on the way, I saw a bloody t-shirt in one of the bedrooms."

Gibbs glanced at the others and almost chuckled at how entranced they looked. In all fairness, it had been an insane couple of days for all of them and then, after everything else, they had been forced to wait patiently to figure out exactly what happened. So, as hard as it was to watch McGee struggle to speak normally, none of them wanted him to stop.

"I immediately got my gun and was going to arrest Copeland then call you but as soon as I rounded the corner," McGee continued, his face now changing as though he were reliving it all over again, "Copeland was standing there with a gun to the little girl's head. She must have been there the whole time, Boss. Right across the street from the crime scene."

Gibbs shifted, suddenly wondering how the hell they had missed that. They had, of course, done preliminary interviews with all of the neighbors, including Copeland, but they had obviously missed something and his agent paid for it.

Tim closed his eyes then, trying to remember or perhaps trying to get a handle on the pain. Either way, it made Gibbs uncomfortable and had him wondering if they should have waited a little longer for the story.

"He made me take off my jacket and I… I had to give him my badge, my gun, my phone…," McGee continued with a clear sense of shame. "I'm sorry, Boss. I know I… I did _something _wrong. It shouldn't have gotten as far as it did…"

"McGee," Gibbs interrupted, surprised by how guilty his agent was feeling. "Keep going."

McGee stared for a moment but eventually took an unsteady breath and continued. "He cuffed me and once I was in the backseat, he uh," McGee said as he mimed something hitting his head, "He hit me with the gun."

Gibbs' crossed arms tightened around him as anger flared inside of him. He knew Copeland was dead but it didn't stop the strong desire to seek revenge on the man.

"It was a good hit," McGee continued with a forced laughed, "But not good enough. I pretended to be unconscious. I thought it was the best option at the time."

He half shrugged again, clearly embarrassed once more.

"I heard him tell Natalia about the house for sale and how he'd be back for her so I decided I would wait until she was out of the car before I did anything," Tim continued, his energy level visibly dropping more and more by the second. "I caught glimpses of street signs and… I tried to think of anything to do but… only one thing came to mind."

"Crashing the car," Tony piped up as everyone else seemed to divert their eyes or shift in their seats. Even though they had known for a while that Tim had crashed the car on purpose, it was still difficult to hear him discussing such an awful dilemma.

McGee nodded and continued, sounding almost defensive. But more than that, he just sounded exhausted.

"He had a gun and the road had no red lights or stop signs so there was no opportunity when the car wasn't moving… Besides, I had to incapacitate him, at least long enough for rescue workers to come and figure out who he was. If I didn't, he would have gone back and killed the girl…"

McGee looked into Gibbs' eyes now and he could see the pain, shame and fatigue in them, but he could also see strength.

"I know it may not have been the best choice and I didn't mean to kill him," Tim stated firmly, "I mean, I knew it _could_ kill one or both of us but…"

By this point Abby had silent tears rolling down her cheeks while Ziva's expression, though still relatively stony, was similar to that of a proud mother. Tony was tense and concerned but he held his composure well.

"I-I didn't see any other cars," McGee continued when no one said anything right away, "And I tried to steer it off of the road and towards the trees but I… I don't really remember the crash itself so…"

"You did the right thing, Tim," Gibbs interrupted once again, his voice soft but sure. "No one else was involved and you acted quickly to give Natalia her best chance."

"And it worked," Ziva offered as she stepped closer to the now visibly relieved McGee. Clearly he had wanted their approval and Gibbs knew he definitely had that and more.

"Natalia will be staying with her aunt and uncle," Tony added, "Nice people. They have a labradoodle."

Tim smiled tiredly and nodded. "That helps."

Gibbs knew they all felt sorry for the little girl. She had lost both parents and was kidnapped. She would definitely have a hard road ahead of her but it was much better than what she would have otherwise gotten.

Gibbs soon relaxed and enjoyed the playful banter and highly necessary lightheartedness that ensued between Abby and his agents. The past week had been rough but one of the worst aspects was that his team had been so _off_. It wasn't normal. They were always like bickering siblings who were not only highly effective in their jobs but who also deeply cared for each other. When one of them was down, the rest of them were out to some degree or other. It was just how it worked.

But that state of imbalance was coming to an end as he saw the smiles on everyone's faces and knew the heaviness of the recent events was becoming a mere shadow as the light at the end of the tunnel came ever nearer.

They would be okay and with time, they would even be back to normal. But Gibbs chuckled at that final thought; he would argue his team was the best around any day of the week but normal? He couldn't honestly say they were normal.

But as he observed the class clown, the assassin, the most ungoth-like goth and their resident genius, Gibbs decided their lack of normality was exactly what made them a winning group. So, with time they would get back to their _own personal normal_ where these seemingly conflicting characters could come together and make miracles happen and save lives. And with a smile, he inwardly admitted that he wouldn't have it any other way.

**End.**

* * *

**End Note: **Well there you have it, folks. I am admittedly pretty bad with endings, so I apologize for the cheese that came with this chapter. Hopefully you liked it overall, though. Now I'm going to throw this out there but don't hold me to it: **There _may _be an epilogue** in the somewhat near future. I have some ideas that may force their way out despite the fact that I'm entering finals week for the semester. For the time being, this story will be "complete" but just know it may happen. Also, I wanted to point something out and put a disclaimer. The part where Tim puts Abby's hand on his heart... I feel like I recently saw something like that in a movie or something but I have this fear that I actually read it in someone's story here on FanFiction (but I couldn't find it in any of the stories I recently read). If you wrote that little snippet or recognize it from someone's story, send me the author and I'll gladly give them credit here. I honestly have NO idea where I saw it, if anywhere, but it came to mind and seemed to fit so perfectly. Let me know if it applies to anyone :)

Anyway, thanks again for everyone who has read this and an extra huge THANK YOU to the reviewers. That truly makes such a difference. God bless and goodnight!


End file.
